Falling all over again
by Xrucious
Summary: One night, Severus turns in late and finds both his beloveds fast asleep. Watching his lovers' slumbering faces, he appreciates all that made them who they are today and relives a few moments of their lives together.
1. Falling all over again

**Credits:** The sheets are mine, poem is Mia's.  
**Edited:** 3/23/2013  
**Summary:** One night, Severus turns in late and finds both his beloveds fast asleep. Watching his lovers' slumbering faces, he appreciates all that made them who they are today and relives a few moments of their lives together.  
**Warnings:** Minor AU, Mild slash, Slightly suggestive themes, Minor ooc, Flashbacks, Extreme fluff.  
**Characters:** Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.  
**Pairings:** Severus/Harry/Lucius, Sirius/Draco/Remus.  
**Genre:** Romance, comedy, extremely mild tragedy/angst.  
**Rating:** T  
**Words:** 4025  
**Author's Note:** Mia, my dear, you've gotten so much better since you started writing fan-fiction. I do believe you are growing up to be a wonderful author. Though, my love, you have made my allergy to fluff five times worse. I'm now at that stage where I feel like birthing kittens. Well, to you readers, I'd like to say this is pointless and honestly has no meaning behind it. Basically just for Mia's sentimental mood that's been going on lately. _But_, if there is any interest in furthering this story, I do believe we may have some ideas. It will be marked complete but we may revisit it later and add a new chapter or so. Mia has no words for this one so _on with the story we go_.

* * *

_**I'm letting you in,  
but you can't back out.  
It's a battle of wits  
now you can't live or lie.  
We're a match made in hell,  
and now we roll over their graves.**_

* * *

_Falling all over again_

The lights were out and there was a very slight chill in the air suggesting that the lights had been out for a while now. Two robes already hung from the wall so that meant that the other two occupants of the house had already returned and were most likely in bed – it was after all, somewhere near two am in the morning. Two pairs of shoes stood next to the door, one significantly smaller than the other but still an adult's shoe size, in a neat little row where a third pair was then shrugged off tiredly.

Walking down the hallway, I avoided any possibly squeaky boards so as to not wake up the sleeping duet in the master bedroom. It was a late night, even for me, and I honestly wanted nothing more than to crash into bed and enter the dreamland as soon as possible. I pulled the tie from my collar as I passed the guest bathroom and the buttons of my shirt were being popped one by one as I bypassed a quiet portrait. The occupant looked at me as I passed but said nothing as I practically sleep walked towards my bed that was becoming more and more enticing with every passing second I remained atop my feet.

The door had been left open a crack for me and I nudged it open with my foot, relieved that the door hinges didn't creak as I entered. Once inside, I slid the door shut with a soft click of the lock and I discarded my clothing into the hamper then made my way towards the large bed that took up a good portion of the room. Before I could fall under the covers though, I spotted the large form made up of my lovers' bodies melting together under the top cover as they slept and couldn't help a soft – though small mind you – smile.

Long blonde hair splattered light all over the dark sheets and pillow cases behind the elder of my two beloveds. His nose was tucked into a mop of ragged black hair that could barely be seen against the black covers but I could see his eyes and they were as elegant while closed as they were dignified while he was awake. His light blonde eyelashes lay almost invisible against pale cheeks and one of his bangs dangled over his slumbering face.

Under his chin, the youngest of us had buried his face in his neck. His dark hair contrasted against his paper white skin and made the features of his face pop. The bridge of his nose was slight and gentle. Dark eyelashes curled upward from where they rest upon his cheeks that were still a soft pink in shade and the perfect bed for a kiss.

The contrast of both light and dark in the two men that lay in my bed was exquisite and how they fit perfectly in my arms was me blissfully enjoying life's simple pleasures. Lifting the soft blanket that they lay hidden under, I slipped in behind my dark haired partner and moved closer. I rested my cheek in the palm of my hand while my elbow held my head up so I could look down at their sleeping faces. They were so peaceful in slumber yet awake, they were the fiercest I knew.

Their chests heaved up and down in sync as they breathed, dark hair swished under every exhale, and the neck under his nose would shiver slightly at the tickle of his breathe brushing skin. Pulled snug together like a puzzle pieced together, they were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. I could still remember the first night I had laid in the same bed as these two angels.

It was in a much too small bed, just after the war had ended…

_I wouldn't deny that I had been worried; he had to take on one of the most powerful wizards that existed after all. It was not pleasant, being forced to wait in a hospital room while my boyfriends were still at battle. The nurses had been forced to charm me into my sheets and I was not happy, not with the hospital for my forced bed rest, not with Dumbledore for making a child fight a war all by himself, not with Voldemort for endangering both of the loves of my life, and I was not happy with myself for being forced to stay in bed when my loves could possibly be dying out there._

_As much as I loved making and experimenting with potions, I did not like taking them and being in the hospital where they practically force fed me them every hour and a half was not the most pleasant place for me to wake up after being knocked out. The sun had gone down three hours before and I had yet to hear any word about my partners, and it was making me antsy and mad. No one would disagree when told I was impatient and the circumstances were some of the worst I had faced yet._

_I was beyond impatient I was beyond mad, I was furious and close to panicking when the door opened and a familiar head of black hair was carried in on a stretcher with the weary face of my second lover following at a slightly uneven pace behind it. I would have torn out of the sheets myself if my mind hadn't automatically gone into body observation. The stretcher was blood free and the comfortable wave of magic was still there and steady, even if weakened and significantly quieter. He was alive and most likely going to stay that way, for now anyway. And from what I could tell from my own hospital bed, he was simply unconscious._

_Cold silver eyes that I was used to looking into were instead a slackened grey, weary with exhaustion and despair. Pale blonde hair fell before the churning wells of anguish and he lumbered towards me, bearing a slight limp in his step. He tried to hide it but to my eye it was relatively evident even as he collapsed onto the bed, draping over my legs haphazardly._

_My left hand threaded through his soft hair and I pulled his upper body closer to my chest, his ear pressed against my shoulder as he trembled in silence. As he calmed into stillness, I pulled him further onto the bed and moved my splinted right arm around his back, "Luce, what happened out there?"_

_He tensed then whispered almost silently, "Dead. The kitten will have trauma." He turned his head so he could look at the lone figure on the bed on my other side. I felt his eyelashes against my neck as he blinked and as he closed his eyes._

_The nurses that were tending to the boy turned to me and canceled the spell on my bed. With a nod, she dismissed the others and quickly gave a briefing of Harry's condition before following the nurses out the door. Harry was in a coma and his magic core was overtaxed but other than that, nothing was wrong with him. They couldn't find anything wrong when they scanned his mind and there was only time left to tell._

_Silently, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and pulled my saddened blonde along with me. We stepped over to the other bed with his weight leaning against my side. I waited for him to lie comfortably beside the smaller frame, holding him against his chest as if that was the end. I sat on the edge of the bed on the other side and turned towards them._

_The black hair that I had once condemned had grown a good bit since the beginning and reached just below his shoulders but fanned out around his pale face like a dark halo and contrasted starkly against the white sheet that was pulled up to his chin. His cheeks were hollow and there was evidence of insomnia etched into the skin under his lower eyelids._

_His lips that were usually tinted pink as he babbled with excitement were as pale as his skin and zipped shut, closing in everything for him to deal with. His entire body was motionless and slightly cool to the touch. The boy that was outgoing, brave and excitable in first year no longer existed in the boy who lay as still as stone on that bed, sandwiched between a tight sheet and the slightly hard bed cot._

_Lucius had his cheek planted against the bed so his face was merely a few inches away from his hair. His eyes were drooping halfway as he watched the statue's silent face. Even though he was silent and still, I could still see – feel – the utter chaos rampaging through him. He was just as attached to the younger man – more like boy still – as I was. Flickering up to me, his eyes swirled with many emotions and I slowly lay my head down across from his so I could face him over Harry's head._

_My injured arm moved over Harry's form and I took two of Lucius' fingers in mine as it was all my hand could grip while in my cast and without pain. I closed my eyes and hushed him when he was about to speak, instead murmuring, "Rest…rest before you can't."_

The next night after that brought on excruciating pain and unmasked some hidden fears. With Harry in a coma and somewhat unstable, Lucius had gone into several depressive silences and when he did sleep, woke up with some heavy thoughts and sometimes nightmares. Lucius was not a very emotionally expressive man, if anything he was best described as a phoenix or a pyramid, a mystery to the history of mankind; mysterious and beautiful, he was the symbol of absolute authority and he bore the power over silence. So when he was curled against our comatose lover, almost sobbing in silence, it was heart breaking and for a while, I had only been able to watch.

And while Lucius was the phoenix, Harry was the pixie, a mischievous little myth with that undeniable pull that attracted everything in his direction. Rascal could be his official title; he's the little imp that brings far more trouble than it sometimes feels he's worth. He was almost always animated, moving or gabbing at all times of day. Because he was such a mischievous critter, the only consolation in that time was that he was still up to his trouble-making antics even in unconsciousness.

Being pulled back to the present due to a soft shiver and whine, I chuckled to myself and moved closer to the two so the heat wouldn't escape the blankets. When I was placed directly behind the smaller man, Harry shifted against me so his back was against my chest but his face was still pressed intently against Lucius' neck though a little further down so it was closer to his collar bone.

My left hand reached across him, gently brushing Lucius' hair out of his face, and I had to hold back a tired smirk at the way his nose scrunched up after being tickled by a stray hair. He'd kill me before he'd ever admit it, but he had a cute side that I knew he warred with constantly. I've seen him when we all went shopping, and just thinking about it brought an amused glint into my eyes as I remembered a few things from not too long ago.

Harry had been pushed into the Ministry as an assistant – more like training to become the next minister – and he needed a new work wardrobe because Lucius absolutely refused to let him into the office in a pair of worn muggle jeans and a shirt that had most definitely seen better days. To say the least, the blonde had all but dragged us both out – with help from his miniature clone of course…

"_No, no, just no. You are absolutely not wearing that to the Ministry. If you even so dare to show up in that…" slightly pinkish lips pursed together in absolute disgust and his nose wrinkled, "I thought we had gotten rid of all that… that morbidity that looks like a two year old threw up fashion on you."_

_Then Lucius had added, "Harry, you are not seriously thinking about wearing that are you…?" He was definitely hesitant to ask because he happened to know our boy's horrid fashion sense. I think the matching blondes have a job on their hands._

_Harry looked from one pair of eagle eyes to the other and back again then he turned to me with those ever pleading puppy eyes. Eyes, a magnificent shade of shadowed leaves, widened to roundness and then tears rimmed his lower eyelids and threatened to run like waterfalls. His soft cherry shade lower lip puffed up and out and his nose scrunched up in that specific way that made everyone cave under his stare._

_Then Lucius turned to me with one light eyebrow raised into a flawlessly sophisticated arc that I knew was meant to say "What are you going to do now?" His eyes bore into mine and gave an almost sadistic glint that made me force the twitch of apprehension down. He huffed and pushed his long hair back in that slow, saucy swipe of his hand as he continued to stare at me expectantly._

_The third occupant in the room and accomplice in my torture turned similar silver eyes on me though they were a stony grey and had that touch of "What you say now will determine whether you are still in one piece later." His hair was identical to his father and they could easily pass as twins if not for some more obvious age differences. Scrunching up his nose even more, he stared me down just as heavily as his carbon copy, "You also need a new wardrobe."_

_Proud that it took more than thirty seconds for me to crack, I gave a defeated sigh, "Let's go shopping." My hand dragged down my face in that exasperatedly slow downward movement and I looked at the almost identical snickering blondes. "I'm going to regret this so much later…"_

_It had taken precisely twenty minutes and thirty two seconds to get down to Daigon Alley for shopping. Trust me, I know. I was counting every agonizing second that it had taken for the blondes to manhandle us darker duo into something that was "sociably acceptable." We went through my entire closet before they decided that I might as well just wear the newest outfit I owned which was still at least two years old – at least it had less noticeable stains on it._

_Then the fashion divas dove into Harry's wardrobe and there was a whole lot more stuff for them to weed through in there due to several years of receiving clothes as gifts from people. It took three minutes to find a good enough shirt to satisfy them, ten minutes to find a pair of pants that didn't clash and another minute and a half to find shoes, socks and a robe that would do the outfit justice. In all it took only five seconds to portkey to the alley and I was already drained. But I knew I had another two, three hours to go, hopefully no more than that but with a Malfoy on a shopping spree, there was no idea how long one could be dragged around going from one shop to the next._

_The blondes had decided to grab additional office supplies for Harry that were more appropriate for his status so by the time we even got to the clothing part of the trip, I was already bogged down with five bags and my feet were killing me. I swore that day to never, ever, ever go shopping with a Malfoy again, much less two. One was bad enough, they contemplated and stared at everything and everyone until they found just the right thing, with two they could argue with each other and make suggestions._

_When we got through the first store, the clerk was frazzled and had that faraway look in his eyes with sparkling stars floating around his head that only a Malfoy could give a man. I gave him an apologetic look as the door closed behind us but then immediately felt worse for myself. I had an additional three bags of clothes and Lucius had just mentioned there were five more stores to check out on this end of the alley._

_I have never felt more terrified in my life than when two pairs of steel grey eyes turned to me and matching grins spread across both faces. If it weren't for the fact that I was weighed down, I would have ran for my life but I couldn't and so I was dragged around with Harry through several stores and finally convinced them to take a break. I sent the bags home as fast as I possibly could before joining the three at the restaurant we had decided to meet at._

_After lunch, Draco got a phone call from one of his dogs and he had to rush off to save his lovers' asses before they got into more trouble. I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped me as he left. I was just that happy that I had only one rampaging blonde to deal with now and I think I could handle that much better. Lucius definitely tore down and rewrote the definition of "Shopping spree" and I was certain I'd have to get my feet amputated._

_Then we entered yet another clothing store and Lucius locked us up in another dressing room and started the dress up process again. I stepped out of my dressing room first and spotted Lucius down the aisle to the left and in the corner of the counter, looking at the little accessories and items under the glass. When he heard the door creak behind me, he spun around and marched like he was an animated suit of armor and jabbed me in the chest with another robe and all but shoved me backed into the dressing room._

_Once the door was snapped shut, I shook my head in amusement. The counter he had been looking at was the one that showcased ribbons and things of the more girly nature. He really should just be himself but he was raised with the idea that he had to be the perfect aristocrat._

I always had known that Lucius had wanted a daughter to play dress up with but after Draco, he could only see Narcissa as an overbearing sister, much like I did. Lucius was a softie and it was almost amusing to watch him change from in public to being at home. If someone ever caught wind of his home life, I think the world would be utterly mortified.

Murmuring something, Lucius opened one eye groggily to look at me as I shifted slightly. The shimmer of his eye was slightly clouded by sleepiness. He nodded slightly, his nose moving about in Harry's hair and he moved so his head was a bit above Harry's. With a registering grumble, he took my hand from where it still lay against his cheek and folded his fingers with mine, "Mmmm, you're back."

With a nod, I gave a small, tired smile and gave a gentle squeeze of his hand, "Go back to sleep." I moved forward a little and placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth and rested my head down on the pillow so our upper bodies cocooned our smaller lover between us as our heads closed above his.

Lucius' eyes closed almost instantly and I gently smiled as he fell back into slumber. His lips parted slightly and his eyes moved behind his eyelids, but he was otherwise stationery. With the image of Lucius' face in my mind, I slowly receded into sleep.

…

The next morning, I woke first despite being the last into bed. I had reason to believe that without me to wake them up, they would be sleeping until noon or until someone else burst into the room looking for one or the other. I slipped away from the little puzzle we made and staggered from the bed towards the bathroom. Within a few moments, I was more or less ready for my day except for the fact that I was only wearing a pair of black pants and I shuffled back into the bedroom on silent feet to wake the others.

Moving over to the bed, I knelt on the edge of the bed and leaned forward on one hand then gently shook Harry's shoulder, "Harry, it's time for you to get out of bed. It's getting late, just because you don't have to go to work doesn't mean you can sleep until noon." I pulled his shoulder towards me and he easily toppled onto his back like a pile of bricks.

With a loud groan, he opened one bleary eye and gave a half assed glare in my direction that was much less effective than usual because of his mussed hair. He grumbled something unintelligent under his breath but started to sit up anyway but that plan was foiled when Lucius grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back down with a growl heavy with sleep.

Sighing with exasperation, I walked over to the other side of the bed and I quickly and sharply jostled the blonde's shoulder, "Luce, get up now. No more dilly dallying. You had a few things to do before eleven and it is nine o'clock now. You have two hours. Hop to it." I, less than gently, pulled him away from Harry and half dragged him out of bed until only his feet were still in the bed.

Lucius gave a high pitched whine before realizing that it was him who made the noise and his cheeks immediately flushed a light pink even with his eyes closed. He tried struggling to get back to the bed for a while before resigning to the fact that he was not going back to sleep and that he did have to wake up eventually. "Come on, Sev, you didn't have to wake me up like that."

Looking at Harry who was watching from the center of the bed with an amused look on his face, I rolled my eyes at his very slight nod and I maneuvered Lucius so he was seated on the bed. Leaning down, just as Harry inched his way over the sheets on his hands and knees, I pressed a kiss to his cheek and gave a slight smirk in place of a smile as he got another one on the other cheek from Harry who then had his hands on Lucius' thigh.

Moving away from Lucius, Harry looked at me and pulled me down even further by the back of my neck and planted a kiss on my lips. When he pulled away that time, Harry looked back at Lucius and haughtily grinned, "There's your morning kiss, now let's get up before you don't finish whatever you needed to get done on time."

Lucius, on the other hand, had a look on his face that said he had a very different plan of action, "It's just paperwork. It can wait until later." He grabbed my hand and half yanked, half tossed me onto the bed before overturning Harry onto his back beside me and he lay above us both, bearing a rare grin on his lips that had me wondering whether or not I should be worried for my health, "I have a very, very different idea on how to spend this morning especially since we are all off today and it is very rare to come across a day when we are all so conveniently free."


	2. Minutes that Mattered

**Credits:** Poem's Mia's. The two toned little boy is mine, the restaurant is Mia's and the song _Forever and Always_ applies to the disclaimer on our profile.  
**Summary:** On an early day, Severus comes home to a quiet house, silent as night, and looks through the pictures they had taken together. Some were sad, some were smiling, but it didn't matter because the love was there down to the very last picture. Memories sometimes do remind you just how much you loved someone when you've nearly forgotten who you fell in love with.  
**Warnings:** Minor AU, Mild slash, Possesive!Harry, Minor ooc, Flashbacks, Extreme fluff.  
**Characters:** Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy.  
**Pairings:** Severus/Harry/Lucius.  
**Genre:** Romance, comedy.  
**Rating:** T  
**Words:** 3850  
**Author's Note:** Well, my dears, this has been updated rather quickly considering we weren't sure that we were going to write another chapter. But we have become rather excited about this idea of _Reminiscence_ so we may just keep on going with this story. If you have any scenes you'd like to have portrayed in our flashbacks of this couple, then let us know. Mia's words for this one are: "Minutes that Mattered is a continuation of Falling all over again but it can be read as a standalone. This one was written using a photo album because there are some moments in life that can only be captured using a camera and others that can't even be caught with a million words." And with that, I close us off for this chapter and _on we sail_.

* * *

_**In sweeping bounding waves, it rose and fell,  
a force to be reckoned with.  
Like rippling red flames, it shivered and shuddered,  
wiggled and burned everything into ash.  
It was the wind, brushing and swishing with a shuddering sigh,  
uprooting the flower beds and bending river heads.  
Through everything, it was the rock,  
steady, still, a place to return to.  
Love will never be utterly lost.**_

* * *

_Minutes that Mattered_

The sun was high above head providing nothing but light in the cold days of winter as a quiet door slowly slid open. It was just after noon and the sun was at its highest point in the sky but there was no accompanying heat to the brightness of the star. The warmth from the flickering fire in the living room fireplace, however, wafted out the doors, unfurling tendrils of mist reaching out into the cold before it was cut short as the door was snapped shut in a hurried slam for the cold had started to invade the indoors as well.

Pulling off my shoes in a tidy manner, I lined them up at the edge of the wooden planks neatly – Lucius would have a fit if I simply threw them all around. Once my robe was hung, I made my way to the inviting heat of the living room and sat down across from the fire on the couch, pulling a blanket over my legs as I relaxed into the cushions.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a photo album that I hadn't seen in a long time on the table to my right. Picking up the soft leathery book, I placed it in my lap and a finger rubbed over the cover, tracing the title, _Minutes that Mattered. _The edge of my lips twitched slightly at the words written in golden letters against the black leather that bound the book.

Flipping open the book, I looked at the first page and read over the words that were etched into the blank page in a delicate script _"Memories are the magic that mends the mangled."_ Underneath those words, there was another sentence written in the same soft, elegant hand, _"When I'm but a memory, I want to be remembered by the minutes that mattered. Love, Harry."_ I didn't remember that being there the last time I had seen the book.

Turning that page over to join the cover, the back was blank but the page opposite it was not. The paper was thicker and slightly textured. Green eyes smiled up from the page and I had to stop myself from falling into a memory of the red haired witch. The man that stood beside her brought a spiteful feeling inside but it was swiftly pushed aside as an image of my small beloved flashed in my eyes. Under the picture, Harry had written in soft and respectful letters _"In loving memory."_

That picture was swiftly but gently turned and I looked at the picture behind it. Unlike the first which was still, this one was moving. A tiny, black haired baby lay in his bed, seemingly asleep, in the beginning. Then his eyes opened and their summer forest colored depths shimmered. Then his mouth pulled into a gurgling smile.

My eyes softened slightly against the moving picture as it flashed back and forth through its animation. The index finger of my right hand touched the picture in awe for a second then I shook out of it and turned to the page opposite it. It was another title page but the letters were more flowing and relaxed than before as the words seemed to just sweep over the page, _"You washed into my heart and took over my soul. The love I am able to give, I'll gladly give to you."_

When the page was turned, it took a few seconds for the surprise to wash away. It was the day of Harry's graduation and I was standing to the side in the first few seconds of the moving picture. And in the next, Harry was openly staring at me with that pixie grin spread all the way across his lips.

I felt myself falling back into the memory of the day as I stared at the picture. That was the day Hogwarts had the biggest surprise of all…

_As soon as I saw that impish grin flash in my direction, I felt my hands tense into stiffness and I took a half step backwards unconsciously. I knew that look and that whatever he had planned would only bring a whole lot more trouble. After a few moments of silent pleas for him to behave on his last day of school, I sighed in acceptance. My mischievous brat would never behave in the slightest._

_He was already halfway across the platform to me and his glowing eyes kept flashing in amusement that I knew would only spell disaster for me later. By the time he stood before me, I only lifted an eyebrow at his shorter frame and looked at him in question. He stood on his tip toes and pulled me down by my tie, his other hand ominously snaking around my neck. His lips pressed against mine then curved upward into a grin as he coaxed me into furthering the kiss._

_Purring excitedly, he pushed my lips apart and pulled my tongue into a dance. I gave a roll of the eyes and wrapped one arm around his waist, my hand at the small of his back and pulled him up a little to better the angle and his arms tightened around my neck. His thumb rubbed into the skin around the base of my neck and I decidedly pushed his tongue back, resigning to the kiss._

_When his hands slackened enough for me to pull back, he was purring at a low, consistent rate and his eyelids fluttered open and shut before he just closed his eyes and rested his head against my chest, wrapping his arms instead around my back. A soft, satisfied sigh escaped him and he pressed his cheek against me even harder._

_I heard a low pitched growl beside me and I turned my head to find swirling grey and blue staring almost lustfully back at me. He laid one hand on mine around Harry's back and the other swept around me. Pushing forward, he gave no chance of escape as he pressed into a forceful kiss._

_It was then that there was an undeniable screech of __**"What!?"**__ by no other than Draco and that shocked everyone in the great hall out of their stupor and soon there were more shrieks of surprise flying left and right. Chaos ensued all around but Lucius didn't care and simply kept his tongue wrapped in mine. When he did pull back, he sent a silencing glare all across the entire room and order was immediately achieved._

_Harry purred against my chest then smiled that one grin that he had developed over the years that sent a fearful chill down spines, "Now they know who you belong to, Sev." He glanced back at his classmates and that sadistic smirk regained its sharpness, "Oh and I didn't, still don't and won't ever like any of you." With that, he turned his face back to me and released my back for favor of my hand and he dragged us both off._

_I heard Draco and a certain little red headed witch in the background yelling profanities and I couldn't help the smirk that flashed at the knowledge of what Lucius would do to his son later._

The smirk reemerged as I remembered Draco's punishment. He had washed his mouth with soap and had a docked allowance for a month. I could still hear the whining. With a quiet snicker, I shook my head in amusement. Looking up at the fire for a few seconds, I stretched my toes, allowing myself a few moments to just relax into the fire.

On the mantel above the fireplace, there were a few little glass and ceramic knickknacks. There was a globe the height of a coffee mug and it was all black with nothing on it. When magic touched it searching for something, many different things could be seen on it. It was a gift to Lucius and I from Harry, more to Lucius than anything, his job required it more than mine but I could use it to look for where my ingredients could be found.

A glass book lay flat beside it with its delicate pages protected by a spell and a ward that was wrapped around it. The book was a gift from me to Lucius and Harry. Unless touched by the magic of its intended owner, it was simply a book of brittle glass. But if the magic of its owner touched it, the book would morph into a biography of someone they wanted to meet that has already passed into the netherworld. I had gotten it for Harry because he should at least know something of his parents and Lucius needed to know Voldemort's – or Tom Riddle's - life.

On the other side of the globe, there was an enchanted ceramic scroll. From Lucius to me and Harry, it was like the book. When it was touched by our magic, it would read our diagnostics then create a meal menu based on the results. He chose it because Harry and I tended to have a small habit of forgetting to eat and getting enough sleep.

Of course it had taken me collapsing of exhaustion before he started forcing us to use the scroll. But after a month, and plenty of reassurance that we were healthy as could be, it had claimed its place on the mantel all the same.

I looked out the window and sighed as the small blurs of snow fell to the ground in their own erratic dance. My gaze slowly shifted back to the album as the warmth enveloped my body from my feet up and I pulled up my legs onto the couch beside me – no one would ever know that I could actually relax. The blanket was shuffled around between the book and my legs so that it still covered my feet.

Turning my full attention back to the pictures in the book, my eyes softened involuntarily at the still photo. Shadowy hair swept around thin shoulders – strikingly similar to the fashion of my robes – and framed a pale face that gave strong impressions to any who met him. His soft lower lip was slightly swollen because of the bruising kiss Lucius had given him before we left.

His wondrous eyes weren't looking at the camera, and instead he was looking at the child in his lap. His eyelids had partway closed as he looked down at the boy and his eyelashes curtained the luscious greenery of his eyes from view. There was a soft glow to his skin because of one of the lights and he honestly looked like a gift from heaven.

That picture in specific had been taken at an orphanage that our little dark haired wonder was thinking of sponsoring, for magical children of course. He had sat down with each of the children there, even some of the older ones – not in his lap – and made small conversation. It was times like those that reminded me of the gentleness he was capable of…

_I was morosely seated in a very uncomfortable plastic chair that was much too short for a man of my height and the lighting in the place spelled utter misery for my oncoming migraine. Did I ever mention that I did __**not**__ like kids? The snotty nosed, slobbery, crying brats could go somewhere else for all I cared but I couldn't find an excuse to return home and I most definitely could not voice my opinion without fear of castration by one very angry, dark haired pixie._

_Lucius – the lucky prat he is – got out of accompanying us because he had work to get done and he made sure to snicker in my direction as Harry had dragged me out the door in a hasty rush. He was going to be cooking for everyone for the rest of the month for that._

_In the corner farthest from the children, I watched from the murky shadows as the little sweaty creatures pushed this way and that all around; just to see Harry who sat in the middle. There was a photographer to one side but otherwise, every other person in the room was under the age of twelve with the exception of me, Harry, the cameraman and the mistress of the orphanage._

_The woman clapped her hands twice in succession and waited for the bustling horde of children to calm into silence before speaking. "A line, children, get into a line. You'll each get to meet Mr. Potter." Once the order was somewhat regained, she smiled at the children and nodded, "One at a time now."_

_I could see Harry's lips arched into a small, welcoming smile from my distance and it still brought a little bit of flurries deep inside. He turned to the first child, a little girl with a frazzled mess for hair and he said something that I couldn't hear but she smiled broadly and climbed up into his lap._

_Running his hands gently through her most definitely knotted hair, he quickly removed any knots and smoothed down the wild hair before moving her against his flat stomach. Pointing at the camera, he said something that made her giggle and the picture was taken with a flash of yellow light._

_The scene continued on before my eyes and the next thing I knew, he was sitting with the last boy in his lap. The boy had distinct hair; it had two shades of brown, a darker at the base of his neck and around his hairline and a lighter brown for most of the hair. He squirmed this way and that nervously and Harry shifted slightly before calming him with soft words._

_I saw the flash of the camera and I knew that Harry hadn't been looking at the camera so I made a mental note to get the picture later. When both were ready, the picture was retaken and the boy scampered off excitedly to the side with his peers. I rose from my seat in the corner and made my way over to the photographer, my eyes narrowing to reduce the brightness of the insane lighting._

_When the photographer had left, I had the photo securely in my pocket and Harry was once again surrounded by the little nosed pests but he looked too happy among the children for me to run his fun so I just stood to the side and watched him chat with the kids and answer pointless questions one after another._

_Watching his interactions with the children, I felt a slight twinge scratch incessantly at my chest. The man really was a beauty, his swirling eyes looked at each child as they spoke, giving undivided attention to every one of them as they desired it. Each time he spoke, he managed to include all of them and he easily wrapped them around his pinky finger._

_It was then that I wondered whether I had been tamed just as easily as these children that sat cross legged, staring intently at him listening to every word that spilled from his lips. In a way, I already knew I had been and that it was inevitable to deny but on the other hand, there was that disgusting pride buried deep down inside that had me denying it anyway. I knew that he had both Lucius and I whipped like puppies and I was almost mortified, but I had to roll my eyes at that. I leaned back and watched as the hero of the wizarding world entertained children._

That photo was one I debated with myself multiple times but usually, I ended with the same result; it was a picture taken at one of his best moments and that was all that mattered. I stared at the picture for a few moments then turned the page again.

The next picture was one Harry had taken – secretly – of me in bed. I had been taking a nap after lunch because work had been stressful the day before. The sheets lay in a heap at my waist and my hair was undeniably scattered all over behind my head. _"Severus, the coiled snake hisses to protect and warn, not to threaten,"_ was written in Harry's handwriting underneath the picture along with another sentence, _"The snake sleeps in a coil with its awareness awake, much like you."_

Across from my picture there was one of Lucius. The blonde man stood at the front door of the house a few years back. The left side of his hair was combed all the way back but the right was left free falling and he wore a white suit with a blue tie. He was looking back into the house as he held the door open to the outside. The lettering this time was elegant and fancier as it read out, _"Lucius, the snake is equally as beautiful as he is prideful. The snake has the slyness of the master mind in the dark. My love has betrayed me twice in falling for snakes like you both."_

I flipped through a few more pages and came to the final picture in the book and my body stiffened a little. The picture sent me directly into another memory. It was just after we had moved into our house and out of the mansion…

_Seated on the large bed in the master bedroom, my back was leaning against the multitudes of pillows Lucius had stocked the bed with. Harry was curled under one arm with his head on my thigh and Lucius was leaning against my other side, his legs entwined with mine. It was a quiet winter afternoon and I was just easing into relaxation._

_We laid in silence for a good portion of the evening but as the sun began to set, grey eyes turned to me and pale lips pulled into a small quirk of a grin that would be better called a smirk. He gave a low rumbling sound as he spoke, "Do you remember what date it is today, Sev?" From the tone of voice, I could tell the date had some kind of importance but I couldn't really decipher what he meant._

_I lifted an eyebrow in question, "The date? January ninth, I believe." When Harry lifted his head to look at Lucius with his symbolic grin, I grew somewhat suspicious, "And what does the date have anything to do with this?" Even I could hear the caution in my voice and the slight bite._

_Harry and Lucius looked at each other briefly then both turned to me with a spark of mischief twinkling in their eyes, "Oh nothing. Just that maybe you forgot your birthday."_

_It took a few moments for it to register but when it did, my eyes widened slightly then immediately narrowed, "I see. It's my birthday." I looked at them for a moment then rolled my eyes, "And? I know there's more you want to add to that."_

_Green eyes widened with excitement and Harry immediately tackled my chest back onto the pillows with a purring giggle, "We're going to celebrate." He singlehandedly dragged me out of the bed and pulled me down the hallway with our third lover tailing behind me at a more leisure pace._

_I would have taken my hand back but Harry had a grip that was almost impossible to get free from and he was strong enough to practically drag me around on my butt if I didn't move to keep up, so I just let myself be pulled along. He stopped at the kitchen where there was a cake suited better for a muggle wedding placed on the counter._

_I half gaped at the cake that was iced in black with white lettering, _"Wishing you a pleasurable celebration." _I stared at the cake for a long while then looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow._

_He snickered and pushed me towards it, "Cut it! I want to eat cake." I had forgotten about his sugar addiction and rolled my eyes as I walked over to it and started cutting into the large black and white cake._

_The black icing gave off the scent of licorice and I sat down to eat the slice of cake on my plate. It was licorice tasting and I smiled partway at my favorite flavor. I wasn't sure how Harry had figured it out but I didn't really care that much. Instead, I ate my cake and Lucius just sat across from me and watched with a small smile. He only had a taste for chocolate and wouldn't touch anything else._

Being so wrapped up in the photo album, I didn't hear the front door open and close or the two pairs of footsteps that were headed my way. Looking at the final picture, I smiled slightly and closed it with one last glance at the final page.

I gave a slight jump when there was suddenly a pair of lips on my cheek and I turned to look at Harry as his infamous grin spread from cheek to cheek, "You're home early, Sev." He noticed the book in my hands and took it, replacing the book in my lap with himself.

Catching sight of light hair, I spotted Lucius leaning against the doorframe but he straightened and started walking over towards us. He leant against the armrest, "You look awfully comfortable there." He really did like poking fun at me but then he smiled, "Come on, it's your birthday, Sev, let's get you off the couch and dressed. We're going out to eat."

Harry placed the album back where it had been and he tugged me up and off the couch. Once again, I was found to be dragged around and this time I was manhandled into clothing by both my dark and light haired lovers. Not exactly the most pleasant thing, being manhandled that is.

Once I was dressed satisfactory to them, they also changed into more "aristocratic" clothing then we were off before I could even register what was happening. By the time I snapped out of it, I was seated in a private section of a high class restaurant and Harry had ordered already.

Smirking in my direction, Lucius placed his menu down, "You blacked out for a second there. Order something, or we'll be here all afternoon."

With a sigh of exasperation, I ordered swiftly and lifted an eyebrow at the two mischief makers, "So why are we celebrating today again?"

Shining eyes rolled to the ceiling and Lucius shook his head in mild amusement, "I already told you. It's your birthday and until you start remembering it yourself, we're going to keep celebrating it." His voice was thick with an I-told-you tone.

A soft chuckle reverberated from my throat without my awareness as I remembered the last line of the book, much to my lovers' confusion. They really would always be in my memories whether I wanted them to or not.

"_Forever and always…I'll be in the minutes that matter."_


End file.
